The mental capacity or endorsement, a set of mind, view, or outlook is what is known as the state of mind of a person.
A person who takes part or skilled in some game or sports is called the player or the sportsman.
What is Player Mentality? The mind frame of a footballer or sports personality.
One may ask what is the mentality of the Black Stars of Ghana at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil ?
What were the players of Ghana thinking before and during the football festival?
Did they go to Brazil to win the cup, improve upon their performance in previous tournaments, to improve their CVs or just play as one of the participants?
What did Ghana go to Brazil to do, after they have had the experiences of Germany 2006 and South Africa 2014?
Before the Black Stars enplaned to Brazil, passing through the Netherlands, USA and landing in Macieo, did they know they were capable of winning the tournament?
How patriotic are the players? Were they focused to win, make name for themselves or put Ghana on the World Cup Map.
News reaching Ghana state that they refused to train because their participation fee had not arrived.
There were other reports that the coach could not control the players as some felt bigger than him. Ghanaians saw through the Dairies of Television Stations that some players who wanted to be treated special were not happy with the selection for the first match against the United States of America (USA).
When the coach made a few changes in the selection, they were able to hold Germany to a 2-2 drawn game and that particular match was rated as one of the best matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Ghana went down, but equalized through Andre Dede Ayew and took the lead from an Asamoah Gyan goal, before the Germans brought on striker Klose, who made sure that they did not lose.
When German striker Klose came on I asked those I was watching the game with at the new plush Oceanic Beach Resort if the Ghana coach had any one to mark him, as if I knew he would score and he did that with perfection and even as old as he was somersaulted to prove his joy as a record breaker.
I have been asking myself, as a sports journalist, administrator and coach – what was the mind frame of Team Ghana before and during the tournament.
Did the Black Stars players feared that they would not be paid if they lose to Portugal? So they wanted their participation fee before? Did they no longer trust their leaders? That is the officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ghana Football Association and others like the sponsors? These and so many other questions come into mind and they need to be answered.
Most of the time, I see that African or Ghanaian players have a different mentality from that of Europeans or even South Americans.
What was the mentality Kevin Prince Boateng when he was sidelined by Coach Kwesi Appiah and he came on later in the game against the USA in Ghana’s first match at Brazil 2014. He was very sad and mad at his coach, because he felt as a senior player, he should have started the game. His anger caused the Black Stars a lot and it affected his total contribution to the Black Stars.
With the attitude of KPB, let us compare his attitude to the Netherlands reserve goalkeeper, Tim Klus who came on at the last minute of extra time to save his country during the penalty shootout against Costa Rica. He became a hero.
So one may ask what was the mentality of the Ghana players at the World Cup?
According to a veteran Black Stars striker, Willie Klutse who is the Public Relations Officer of the Retired National Footballers Association of Ghana (RENFAG), the Ghanaian players who went to Brazil 2014 were not prepared for the cup, which the then Sports Minister Hon. Elvis Afriyie – Ankrah had boasted that they were going to win or at least reach the Semi Final.
Klutse, a member of the 1978 African Cup winners’ squad said the issue of money was on the minds of the players than any other thing that is why they thought of their appearance fees and not on winning to grab a bigger sum or honours.
Klutse said they players can not be blamed because in the past players were promised and the promises were not honoured. He recalled the team that won the first African Cup for Ghana and the 1978 squad who were promised estate houses and not fulfilled.
Because the Black Stars demanded to be paid before they would even train, the government of Ghana had to airlift their winning bonus and appearance fees to Brazil and this caused a embarrassment to Africa and the nation that was tipped to carry the continent high.
The money problem affected all the African team except Algeria who came to the World Cup with a different mentality. It was not surprised that they went on to the second round and paid their appearance fees to charity.
The World Cup 2014 should be a big lesson to the Black Stars, especially the handlers and future players. They should know that good name is better than riches and as sports men, they should think of trophies and medals than money, which will by all means come if they perform well or best.
Ghana’s performance against Germany which ended 2-2 showed that the Black Stars have what it takes to be winners or champions. But they preferred to gain money and lose their reputation as the best team from Africa.
Brazil 2014 has come and ended, but it has taught us many lessons, unless we do not want to learn.
It is sad that the Minister of Sports has been reassigned to a different department of the government and people are calling for changes in the administration of Ghana Football.
The GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi and Coach Kwesi Appiah were called names, but they can do better if they are encouraged. They have apologized and they must be motivated rather than insulted which some ignorant people do on the airwaves.
Germany planned and planned very well to claim the 2014 World Cup, after coming close several times. During the World Cup I did not like the line up of Coach Kwesi Appiah when he let creative midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah play in defence.
But the harm has already been done and Ghanaians must look at the bigger picture, which is the future of the nation. Morocco 2015 and Russia 2018 are around the corner and preparations must start soon.
It is about time Ghanaians bury their differences and forge ahead as a nation, because we need each other and we must advise our players to do the right things at the right time.